Toy.



1 o. TESTMAN.

TOY.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1910.

992,292, 1 Patented May 16, 1911.

- I UL Z] v if Wtnesses Inventor Q I by p k l I 4. M Attorneys FFICE.

PETER C. TESTMAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1911.

Application filed September 21, 1910. Serial No. 583,062.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER C. TnsTMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Toy, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of this invention to provide a game, in which a rolling element may be deflected into a compartment, to indicate a given score, or point in the play.

Another object of the invention is to introduce, into a structure of the sort above mentioned, the body of an animal, the passage of the rolling elements or counters whereby the score is indicated, serving to actuate the body into a lifelike movement.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a side elevation, parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is a transverse section upon the line BG of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmental end elevation; and Fig. 4: is a side elevation showing the body of the animal depressed by one of the rolling elements, into an abnormal position.

For convenience in description, that end of the device to which the letter A is applied, will be considered to be the front thereof, and other terms, used in locating the relative positions of the parts will be selected accordingly.

The invention includes, as a primary and fundamental element, a base 1 which is a box-like structure. Mounted upon the base 1 is a body 2, preferably fashioned to simulate a frog. The legs 3 of the body 2 are rigidly connected to the base 1, the legs being pivotally connected with the body 2, as indicated at 4:. In Fig. 1 of the drawings, the body 2 is disposed in what will be denominated hereinafter, the normal position. The body 2 is held in this normal position by means of a retractile spring 5, connected at its lower end with the base 1, and at its upper end connected wit-h the rear end of the body 2 and located within the body. A

tongue 6 is pivoted, at 7 intermediate itsends in the body 2. This tongue 6 is suitably counterweighted, or otherwise arranged, so that its outer end will normally be depressed, its inner end being disposed within the body 2. The inner end of the tongue 6 carries a casing 8 adapted to receive a ball, or like rolling element.

In the top of the base 1, and below the inner end of the tongue 6 there is an opening 9. Secured at 11 to the top of the base 1 and located within the base, and to the rear of the opening 9 is an arm 10. This arm 10 is fashioned from properly selected resonant material, and when a ball 38 drops upon it, as hereinafter described, the arm will emit a sound resembling the croak of a frog.

Disposed transversely of the base 1 and secured at its lower end thereto, is an inclined board 15. Secured to the upper end of this board 15 and disposed longitudinally of the base 1, is a chute 16, the rear end of which is supported upon a bracket 14 and disposed sufficiently close to the forward end of the arm 10, so that a ball may pass from the arm into the chute. Inserted into the inclined board 15 are a plurality of pins 17. In the side wall of the base 1 adjacent the lower end of the board 15, is an opening 18. Partitions 19 are disposed vertically in the opening 18, and stops 20 are disposed transversely of the opening 18, between the partitions 19, at the lower end of the inclined board 15.

At this point it may profitably be stated that the arm 10 constitutes what, for convenience, will be denominated hereinafter, the sounder. The inclined board 15, the

' chute 16 and the compartments defined by the partitions 19 and the stops 20 constituting a chance device, each compartment, defined by the partitions 19, being indicated by proper numerals, as shown in Fig. 4.

Fixed to and rising from one end of the base 1 is a standard 21. A downwardly inclined chute 22 is mounted in the standard 21, the rear end of the chute being elevated above its forward end. Positioned in the standard 21 below the chute 22, is another inclined chute 23, the rear end of this chute being positioned below its forward end. A casing 24, located upon the forward face of the standard 21, serves as a communication between the ends of the chutes 22 and 23.

Disposed within the base 1, longitudinally of the same, is a shaft 32, supported adjacent one end in a suitable bearing 50 connected with the top of the base 1, and at the head 33, extended through the opening 9,

- and disposed in close relation to the rear end of the casing 8.

A rod 30 is loosely mounted in the casing 24:, for longitudinal reciprocation, and for oscillation, the lower end of this rod 30 being pivotally connected at 54 with the upper end of the cross head 53. A striking plate 28 is secured upon the upper end of the rod 30, and is disposed within the contour of the casing 24: and the chute 23.

The elements 28, 30, 53, 32 and 33, may briefly be described as a stop, pivotally mounted in the base 1, and having one of its ends disposed within the chute formed by the elements 22, 24L and 23, the other end of this stop being positioned between the inner end of the tongue 6 and the sounding device 10.

The base 1 may be provided with a drawer 34:, adapted to hold a plurality of rolling elements, preferably balls 35.

As hereinbefore pointed out, the outer end of the tongue 6 is normally depressed. When, however, a ball, denoted specifically by the numeral 38 is disposed within the casing 8, and there held by the head 33, the outer end of the tongue 6 will be uplifted, to close the mouth of the body 2. Presupposing that the ball 38 is in position, the operation of the device is as follows. If a ball be mounted in the chute 22, as shown at 36, this ball, following the inclination of the chute 22, will pass into the casing 24:, engaging the striking plate 28, and causing a vertical reciprocation of the rod 30, the rod 30 tilting the cross head 53, and causing a rotation of the shaft 32, whereby the head 33 will be swung laterally away from the end of the casing 8, permitting the ball 38 to drop out of the casing. Obviously, the weight 31 will tend to return the head 33 to the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This ball 38, being released from the casing 8, will drop upon the resonant arm 10, causing the same to emit a sound resembling the croak of a frog. From the arm 10 the ball 38 will roll into the chute 16, and pass from thence into the inclined board 15, the ball being deflected to and fro by the pins 17, and ultimately passing between certain of the parti tions 19, to rest against the stop 20. Each compartment defined by the partitions 19 may be numbered, or otherwise marked, to indicate a point in the game.

Thus far, the ball has been traced from the position indicated by the numeral 38 in Fig. 1, to the position which it will assume after it has arrived in one of the compartments of the chance device. The passage of another ball through the chutes 22, 24 and 23 will now be traced. As hereinbefore pointed out, the ball 36, engaging the plate 28, will serve to set the ball 38 free. After having actuated the plate 28, the ball 36 following the arrows in Fig. 1,

will traverse the chute 23. It is to be recalled that the ball 38 has been freed from the casing 8, and therefore the outer end of the tongue 6 will be depressed, so that when the ball 36 moves from the end of the chute 23, the mouth of the body 2 will be opened to receive said ball. The ball, resting upon the outer end of the tongue 6 is denoted by the numeral 37 in Fig. 1. As the ball strikes the outer end of the tongue 6, the body 2 will be tilted downwardly, at its forward end, from the position shown in Fig. 1, into that shown in Fig. 2. The ball will then roll the length of the tongue 6, into the casing 8, tilting the inner end of the tongue 6 downwardly and closing the mouth of the body 2. hen the ball strikes the outer end of the tongue 6, the retractile spring 5 will be elongated, but, as the ball rolls past the fulcrum point 7 of the tongue 6, and into the casing 8, the spring 5 will again exercise its function, and tilt the body 2 from the position shown in Fig. 4 into that shown in Fig. 1. Moreover, as the ball passes from the outer end of the tongue 6 to the inner end thereof, the tongue will be lifted at its outer end, closing the mouth of the body 2, and disposing the device in the position shown in Fig. 1. As soon as the ball 36 is free from the plate 28, the counterpoise weight 31 will act upon the shaft 32, to dispose the head 33 in the position shown in Fig. 1.

In practical operation, as the ball moves from the end of the chute 23, the body 2 of the frog will open its mouth to receive the ball, and will also pivot forwardly, simulating the movement of a frog in swallowing an object, the mouth of the frog closing automatically, after the ball has been received therein, the body lifting itself into the normal position shown in Fig. 1, when the ball has rolled to the inner end. of the tongue 6 and is housed within the casing 8. Moreover, the sounding mechanism included 111 the resonant arm 10, being actuated by the ball 38, will cause the body 1 to emit a croak, just as the ball moves into the position shown at 37.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a body in the form of an animal; a tongue pivoted intermediate its ends in the body and normally depressed at its outer end: a ball-receiving chute discharging upon the outer end of the tongue; a sounder positioned beneath the inner end of the tongue; and a pivotally mounted stop having one end disposed in the chute and having its other end disposed adjacent the inner end of the tongue, between the tongue and the sounder.

2. In a device of the class described, a body in the form of an animal; a tongue pivoted intermediate its ends in the body and normally depressed at its outer end; a ball-receiving chute discharging upon the outer end of the tongue; a chance device disposed below the tongue; and a pivotally mounted stop having one end disposed in the chute and having its other end disposed adjacent the inner end of the tongue, between the tongue and the chance device.

3. In a device of the class described, a body in the form of an animal; a tongue pivoted intermediate its ends in the body and normally depressed at its outer end; a ballreceiving chute discharging upon the outer end of the tongue; a sounder positioned beneath the inner end of the tongue; a pivotally mounted stop having one end disposed in the chute and having its other end disposed adjacent the inner end of the tongue, between the tongue and the sounder; and a chance device into which the sounder is positioned to discharge the contents of the chute, after the same have traversed the tongue.

I. In a device of the class described, a body in the form of an animal; a tongue pivoted intermediate its ends in the body and normally depressed at its outer end; a chute for discharging a rolling element upon the outer end of the tongue to roll the length thereof; a sounder supported below the inner end of the tongue; a device for holding a rolling element upon the inner end of the tongue to raise the outer end thereof; and mechanism operable by another rolling element as it traverses the chute, to withdraw the holding device from the first named rolling element, whereby it may impinge the sounder.

5. In a device of the class described, a body in the form of an animal; a tongue piv- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for oted intermediate its ends in the body and normally depressed at its outer end; a chute for discharging a rolling element upon the outer end of the tongue to roll the length thereof; a sounder supported below the inner end of the tongue; a device for holding a rolling element upon the inner end of the tongue to raise the outer end thereof; mechanism operable by another rolling element as it traverses the chute, to withdraw the holding device from the first named rolling element, whereby it may impinge the sounder; and a chance device into which the sounder is adapted to deflect the rolling ele ment.

6. In a device of the class described, a pivotally supported body in the form of an animal; means for yieldingly holding the body in a normal position; a tongue pivoted intermediate its ends in the body and normally depressed at its outer end; a chute positioned to discharge a rolling element upon the outer end of the tongue to tilt the body; a pivotally mounted stop having one end disposed in the chute for impingement by another rolling element, and having its other end disposed adjacent the inner end of the tongue to hold the first named rolling element thereon whereby the outer end of the tongue may be elevated; and a chance device positioned to receive each rolling element subsequent to its passage from the inner end of the tongue.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PETER 0. TE STMAN.

Witnesses:

JOHN T. FARDY, W. D. McKENNY.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0. 

